Blogito Ergo Sum?

René Descartes
I think, therefore I am.
- Cogito Ergo Sum -

I remember the first blog I visited regularly. It was the US Naval Institute blog. 'Twas an excellent blog back then, still is now. One time while there, this one post got me "spun up". Don't remember who wrote it, don't remember what the topic was other than it was about the Navy. The Navy in which I had never served but with which I was familiar on a number of levels. Both professional and personal. So I ventured to make a comment. I didn't want to be slaughtered over my possible lack of Navy knowledge, so I signed my comment as "Old Air Force Sarge". A moniker which I keep to this day, though since shortened to "Old AF Sarge".

Much to my surprise, no one climbed all over my comment. In reality it was ignored by the other "heavy weights" commenting over there. But it had whet my appetite for this blogging thing. So I became a bit of a "lurker". Following the action but not stepping into the arena. Until that fateful day I discovered Neptunus Lex. I had been Googling for some news on Big Time's squadron at the time. And it was at Lex's place that I found it.

The first post of Lex's I ever read was Big Victory. That post was what I still refer to as My First Lex. And I had the temerity to actually comment on that post. And someone noticed that comment and responded to it. In a nice way. I began to follow Lex everyday. It was the second thing I did in the morning (the first being starting my computer up).

Eventually I sent Lex an e-mail. And got a response. The man was special, I counted him as a friend.

Then one day, it all came (literally) crashing to the ground. It was the 7th of March last year. I fired up the old computing machine and headed to Neptunus Lex. To find this. Lex was dead. Killed in the crash of his aircraft at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada.

It was then that I started hearing from all those others who had commented over at Lex's place. We started a blog of our own, which someone named The Lexicans. I blog there from time to time. We even have our own super-secret Facebook group, 400+ members, all kindred souls of one sort or another.

But it wasn't enough. I wanted more. So I started this blog. The Chant du Départ. I really like doing this, there are some wonderful folks who read my stuff and actually comment on it from time to time. I have a number of blogs listed along the starboard rail, under Stuff I Like to Read. I must confess, I don't get to all of them everyday. I try, believe me I try. I count all of those folks as friends.

While "I blog, therefore I am" is not precisely true. It's now a big part of me. It's one of the ways in which I express myself. (That and being a gigantic goofball when my kids and grand-kids are around. I love hearing them laugh.)

So for what it's worth. Here I am. Here's my blog. Feel free to leave comments. I will never insult someone who leaves a comment. I might delete the comment, if it's offensive, but that has only happened once. I take requests, though I may not honor the request, I'll entertain it. Give it a beer, politely tell it no if I find it beyond the pale, then send it on it's way. Sometimes I'll take up the request and run with it. That's how the Friday Flyby was born.

Speaking of which, I need to go write that. It's based on an idea Hogday gave me. We'll have to see how that goes. Until tomorrow then. Stay thirsty my friends!